Process and apparatus for making cups



April s, 1921.-: I 1,623,191

J. G. NORTON Pocnss, AND APPARATUS Foa muuu@ crs y Origiai Filed April 11, 1922 2 Sinni-'Shut 1 .zum 1 Kx April 5, 1927-; 1,623,`I97

J. ci. NORTON PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING CUPS Original Filed April l1. 1922 2' sheets-snm 2 Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

JAMES GuNORTON, OF LEONIA, NEW JERSEY.

tPROCESS ANDAPPARATUS FOR MAKING CUPS. i

Application'led April 11,` 1922, Serial Io.551,79. Renewed This invention relates to a process and apparatus :tor making' cups and particularly vcups formedl to provide a truste-conical body portion for containing' a .substance to E be eaten and a substantially cylindrical handle portion dependingv from the body por- `tion.

Inaccordance with the process of this invention, the cup is tormed from a blank of 10, .gener.afllyy circular form in two steps, the

.lirststep consisting in shaping the blank generally-in the form of a cup corresponding iin diameter to the diameter ot the han- -idleportion of the completed cup andthe second inspreading' out the upper, open end ofthe blank into the toi-in ottlie frustrum of a cone. VIn order to facilitatethe shaping,- yof tlieblank into cup-like form and the subrsequent spreading out o'tits upper end into conical form, the blank is preferably pleated f 0r crimped.

Animportant feature ot the improved apparat-us resides in the .provision of means for ...automaticallyshaping the blank into the form of a cup corresponding in diameter to `the haiidleportio-n of the finished cup and '.meauis formautoinat-ically spreading out the upper end of the blank into the `general torni `of a cone to complete thek cup.

Astill further feature of the improved apparatus contemplates the provision of a die member having means co-acting therewith yfor insertinga blank into it and impartingto the blank at oneot its portions a shape likev thatotthe handle portion of a completed cup and other means for impart- =ing to the other portion of the blank a Atruste-conical form to constitute the body portion of the cup. Still other objects and features of the invention .Will appear as the description proceeds and will bepointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings in which like reference iiuinerals designatelike parts in the various views; i

yFigv 1 is a sectional view in elevation .show-ing the means for inserting' a blank Vinto the main die memberand imparting the initial shape to the blank;

fFig. 2 is a plan view taken substantially alonpgthe line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. .3 isa view in plan 4of the main die member; y i

Figa 4f is .a View .in sectional elevation Patent.

September '17, 1926.

taken substantially alongI the linef44 of Fig. 3 andshowing the auxiliar] diemember 'for shaping the `body' portion of the cup; Fig. 5 is a view in elevation takensub-v stantially along the line :5-5 of Fig. 4;

'Fig'. 6 is a detail view of one of the'i'devicesmounted on the main die meinberfor eiigaginer the `upper end of the blank during the uni-directioiial laying of the pleats;and

:Fig 7 shows the completed cup. y

The illustrated apparatus is illustrative of one means bywvhich the processof .this .invention may be carried -outand Will be hereinafter described for the sake-of convenience in connection with the `machine shown in United States Letters Pat-ent to Claussen et al., No. 1,04f7,173 ,-granted Dec. 17,.'1912. It

will be understood, however, thatthe present Aembodiment of the invention is-merely`by Way of example `positions-'by Van vannularvvire 17 which' occupies the slot 18` inthe outer-.end of eachi `lever and is -norinally'yieldingly held down Ward by` a seriesfof springs 19 arranged around it at intervals. 15 vhas its inner endlaterally extended 'and rounded as indicated at 20, Fig'. `1. ffl-hele parts above described may befand fas'shoWn arc substantially as shown in the abovemenktionedl patent.

Carried on the machine iframe for rotation with the .carrier 12 is va lverticalsleeveQli Within which is a vertical iod 22. The sleeve 21 and rod 22am reciprocated vertically by suitable means (not shown) ,but Whiclmnay be .substantially as shown vin said vLetters Each of the sleeves .'21 hasits `lowe'rfeiid encircled byia ring 37 vvhiclifis lixedftothe sleeve, and the ring 37 in Vturnencircled by the upper border.of;the'cup-shapedinail .drol The: :Wall-of the mandrel 38'is` prof- `Each .ofL the. levers Y vided with uniiormly spaced longitudinal slots 39 equa-l in number to the plaiting levers 15 and through which a link l() extends from its connection with the rod 22. The lower ends of the links 4t() are respectively pivoted to an equal number of followers 41, the inner ends ot which are pivoted in the lower en'ds of the slots 39 respectively and the bodies of which alternately retreat into the slots 39 and advance out of them.

Mounted to rotate on the machine trame at a level below that ot the carrier 12 is a table 51 provided with radial slots 52 in which the main die members 53 are slidably and rotatably received. The radial slots 52 are arranged around the border ot the table 51, and the die members 53 are normally pressed out 7ardly to the outer ends of the slots by springs all interposed between ears 55 extending upwardly from the table 51 and a toot 56 engaging an annular groove 57 in the die 53 and connected to the end oit a rod 5S slidably mounted. in the ear 55.

The die members 53 are generally circular in contour and each ot said members is provided on its upper surface with guideways 60 ldisposed at diametrically opposite sides of the center ot the die. Mounted in the guideways 60 tor radial sliding movement relatively to the die 53 are bars 61 each of which is formed in its inner edge with a semi-circular recess 62, so arranged that when the bars 61 are in their innermost positions in which their ends engage each other at opposite sides of the recesses, the recesses define a circular opening. The bars 61, as shown in Fig. it, extend outwardly over projections 63 extending peripherally 'from the upper portion o1 the die 53 and are normally held inwardly in engagement with each other by springs 64 secured at their inner and outer ends to posts 65 on the guide ways 60 and posts 66 upstanding from the bars.

Each of the die members 53 is formed in its lower portion with a bore 67 corresponding in size. and shape with the handle portion 63 of the cup, and in its upper portion with a truste-conical die tace 69 consonant in size and shape with the body portion 69 ot the cup. The bore 67 is preferably substantially cylindrical but is tapered downwardly to a suiiicientdegree to enable the the finished cups to be nested, and the recesses 62 of the bars 61 in the innermost positions of the bars are arranged substantially in alignment with the bore 67.

rlhe table 51 (Figs. 1 and 4i) is provided. centrally below the radial slots 52 with slots 7() which receive bosses 71 depending centrally from the die members 53, and mounted for rotation with the carrier 12 as shown in the above-mentioned Letters Patent is a circular disk 11 arranged for engagement with the peripheries ot the dies 53 as seen in Fig. 1. As the disk 11 and table 51 are rotated in opposite directions or, in other words. so that the adjacent portions ot their peripheries move. in the same direction, the disk 11 successively engages the dies 53 and moves them inwardly on the table 51 trom their normal positions in which their bosses 71 abut against the outer ends of the slots 70, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 3, to the position shown in Fig. 1. While the dies 53 are being` thus moved inwardly in the slots 52, they are rotated in a clock-wise direction, as seen in Fig. 2, by means of rack teeth 72 on the ldies meshing with correspondingly termed teeth on a rack 73 secured to the table 51 at one side et the slot 52.

The manner of operation ot my improved apparatus, as thus Ytar described, is as 'tollows: A circular disk of paper or other suitable material is placed on the plaiting levers 15. Then the upper plaiting mechanism, including the followers 41 which are then, together with the mandrel 38 located above the levers 15, descends toward and into the lower plaiting mechanism. At the beginning of the joint operation of such mechanisms, the paper disk is bent into a shallow, saucer-like form, and as the Operation proceeds the saucer-like form is gradually changed into a pleated cup-shaped form. During the downward movement of the mandrel 38', which is of a size and shape corresponding with that ot the bore 67 ot the die 53., the followers 41 hold the rising and inwardly moving sides of the paper blank against the ends ot the levers 15, while gradually retreating toward the mandrel 38. The result ot the action of the plaiting mechanisms is to cause the blank at its sides to be plaited or collapsed into unit'orm narow plaits and to be inserted into the die 53, as seen in Fig. l, through the opening termed by the semi-circular recesses 62 oit the bars 6l. Ry reference to Fig. l, it will be seen that the mandrel 33 hasI been dcpressed to an extent such that the ends 2U ot the levers 15 have been lett above the upper edge et the plaited cup-shaped blank, the blank at this stage oi? the operation ot the machine being slender and elongated so as to resemble somewhat a huinan linger.

The sleeve 21 and rod 22, connected respectively to the mandrel 38 and links vl0 may be operated by suitable cam means such as is shown in said Letters Patent, the arrangeinent oi the cams being such as to cause the 'followers 4l to assume an inclination corresponding to the taper ot the bore 67 of the die 53 and to properly enter the opening in the bars 61.

The inward radial motion olE each ol the dies 53 is accompanied by a rotary motion about its center in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, produced by the teeth 72 on the dies meshing with those ot the of the table rack 73.

lblank at .zontal to receivesanother blank. vdepressed by the `mandrel i. 1f, eas, L97

.The function olthis rotary motion is to lay ,all ofthe ,folds lor pleatsof the blank in the saine direction, itbeing understood Ath at ,the mandrel 38 ,and the` followers 41 do notturn with; the `die 53 but .arerelatively stationary, and that-theturning 0f thefldie carries. the outer bends of the blank positivelyin the same directiony by reason of friction between the bends of the blank and Vthe surfaces ol the 1bore67 and the opening formed byf the 4recessesGQ of the bars 61. Itavill also be understoodthat the bars 61 partake of the.turning..movements of the diesI v53, and are thus caused to support the vits upper end'and to co-operate with the lower .portionot the die 53 in laying' thetfolds .of the blank in `a common direction. After each mandrel `38 ,has 'thus completed the preliminary shapingr of a lank in one 4ofthe diesf53, it iswithdrawn from the dieby operation of the sleeve 21 .and rod 22. yThe sleeve 21 .and rod 22 are so operated as to cause 4the mandrel 38 to be ralsed above the plaltmg levers 15 which .are then swungby the springs 19 into a position iii-.which .their upper edges .are hori- The followers41 are swung outwardly from their yupper ends as the mandrel 38 rises from the ydie 53, assuming a positiontparallel to .and spaced .above the .upper edges-of. the -levers 15,.and the carrier 12inits. rotation moves each ofthe mandrels 38v andtheplaiting levers 15 associated Ywith them away `from the table 51 .to a position Sincethe blank is 38'so-asto carry its upper Vedge .below `the levers 15, the roundedlinner. ends 4of the levers positively prevent the blank 'from risingr with the mandrel 38 and y,insure thattheblank will be kretained inthe die 53 in proper position for the performance `of a subsequent operation upon it.

, After they blank has thnsbeen formed into ya slender, linger-like shape, as seen -most elearlyin Fig. 4, it .is carriediby `rotation 51 and while stillcontained in the die 53 away from the carrier` 12. When the` die 53 has beenmoved elearfof thecarrier 12, a male die `74 is lowered into it. One of the .male dies 74 vis associated with eachofthe dies 53, andthe male diesmay be operated as described inv theabove-mentioned Letters Patent. The die 7 4 comprises la lower, downwardly tapered, -,generally cylindrical portion 75 adapted to tit-within the bore 67 of the, die 5,3.and a frusto-eonical portion 76at its .uppeiwend shaped toct within the upper tace 69 of the die 53. As shown,.the die 74 is mounted between bi- Yfurcations 77 .of itsoperating arm 77, .and its uppenportion 76` terminates 1n. an `annu- `pression `of laces. 84 et' `the lbars 80.

ltween thetde74 and the-bars. clearly `from Fig. 4also, the inner the guideways GOare spaced outwardly `:from the upperv edge of the.face-69.of-the die 74,

v 74 in its .i downward `movement ,.ingefremthe outer endsfof'itheearms 79are camx-ba-rs `l80 ,arranged for,-enga-gement `:in

longitudinal slots 81 in the-barsGl .upon dethe die 74;-into thedie ,53. iVVhen the bars 6l are iii-their innermost positions (Fig. 4), the slots 81 extend7 somewhat vbeyond the outer ends ol" the guidewvays GO ,and the projections 63.011 the diel 53 in position to receive `the relatively `slender tips 82 of the cam bars 80. The .louter ends :ofthe slotsv 8-1 may be` rounded, 4as indicated -at 83 4), or, il desired, the Vbarsi--tlmay be provided with suitable;anti-fiictioiri'ollerslocated `adjacent to the outer ends of the slots81 for engagement with-the cam snr- The .bars -61 are normally held Iinwardly by springs-644011- neeted at their inner andouter ends to-posts 65. and-66 i on the f guideways 60 fand bars that as the die 74 is loweredwithin -thedie 53, the cam bars 80 retract the bars ,-61 against the resistance of the springs-64 in `advance of the` movement of theidie 74,.so.asto prevent the blank from i being, gripped `be- Asappears ends of andthe lbars 61 arearranged to befwithdrawn outwardly from i the-upper edge .of the ifaee 69, to -an `extent snehgasA toallew .the -lange 78 `at the Vupper end` o-the `die 74 to be lowered linto engagement withthe top of the die 53. `@therfnneansfor retracting the bars y(S1-out ofthe @way offthedie willA :suggest .themselves to `a ,mechanic skilled inthe-art and may be f employed :without departing from the principles of.r the invention.

In the operation `of thedie 74, thepleated .upper end of theblank is gradually opened outfby-theupper :fportion76 of the die rinto a frustefconical 'loi'm, .and the die 7 4 may be pressedeiirmly into the die-53 tosetthefolds or pleats ol' the cup into a permanent-condition. y.llhefmea-ns forgpressing the vdie 74 into the die 53iandsfor causingthe kt'olds `of the cupio bepermanently set may-be substantially as shown Vin V`the above-mentioned Letters Patent.

The arms 77 oirtlie table 451 having' the bifurcations77and vcarrying the dies 74-are preferably arranged of the table 51 and the arms 9 carrying the cam bars 8O are arranged substantially at right angles to the die carry-ing arms. Jt will further be understood thatpthe dies' 74 eo-act with-the dies'53 `only when-the .last named-dies are free-ofithedisk '11;.andfare hence maintained in the outer ends yofithe slots 52 by thesprings 54. Consequently,

itwill be apparent that thefbars 61-on-the dies 5 3 normally and :at the ztime-,of :their substantially radially I engagement with the cam bars 8() extend in a generally tangential direction with respect to the table 51.

The bosses 71 ot the dies 53 are provided with headed pins or plungers which are moved upwardly simultaneously with the elevation of the dies 74 from the dies 53 to de-tach the completed cups from the inner surfaces of the dies 53 and to cause them to move upwardly with the dies 74%. This upward movement ot the plungers S5 may be elected by a stationary cam 86 shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4.

Housed inthe die 74; is a second pin 87 having an eye 88 at its upper end which receives one end ot' a linger 89 tulcrumed in the arm 77 at 90 and normally held upwardly by a spring 91. After a male die 74 has been elevated from a die 53 carrying a completed cup with it, a roller 92 on the linger 89 engages a relatively fixed part (not shown) as the table 5l continues to rotate and causes the pin 87 to be depressed below the lower end of the die 74 thus detaching the cup from the die 74 and deliveing it from the machine.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the process ot this invention consists in one ot its aspects in forming a cup having a frusto-conical body portion and a more nearly cylindrical handle portion by iirst shaping a blank into the form of the completed cup and then settling the blank into a permanent condition. In a more particular aspect, the invent-ion also contemplates the shaping ot a blank by pleating into a linger-like shape corresponding with the diameter of the handle portion and then opening` out the end ot the blank into the :lorm ot a trustrum ot a cone.

l believe that I am the `first to torni a cup having a trusto-conical body portion and a more nearly cylindrical handle portion from a single blank, and I desire to obtain broad patent protection on a process tor making such a cup involving the pleating ot the blank.

The bars 6l may, if desired, be enlarged vertically adjacent to the recesses 62 to provide an increased area for engagen'ient with the blank, and the upper edges of the recesses 62 may be beveled outwardly or rounded to facilitate the entrance ot the blank into the opening constituted by the recesses.

Having fully described the invention. what is claimed is:

l. The process of making a cup which consists in sha-ping a blank into a substantially truste-conical body portion and a more nearly cylindrical handle portion and then setting the blank in permanent condition.

2. The process of making a. cup which consists in shaping a blank by pleating or crimping into a substantially {ruste-'conical portion and a more nearly cylindrical handle portion and then setting the blank in permanent condition.

3. The process ot making a cup which consists in shaping a blank by pleating into a substantially trusto-conical portion and a nearly cylindrical handle portion, laying the folds ot' the blank in one direction, and then setting the blank in permanent condition.

t. The process of making a cup having a substantially trusto-conical body portion and a more nearly cylindrical handle portion which consists in shaping a blank into a finger-like shape corresponding in diameter at its lower end with the handle portion ot the cup and then spreading out thel open end or the cupvinto a rusto-eonical Jform.

5. The process ot making a cup having a substantially trusto-conical body portion, and a substantially cylindrical handle portion which consists in shaping a substantially circular blank by pleating into a tinger-like form corresponding in diameter at its smaller end with the handle portion ot the cup and then spreading out the open end of the cup into a frusto-conical form.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, means for supporting a blank and means for shaping the blank into the form of a cup having a truste-conical body portion and a more nearly cylindrical handle portion and tor setting the cup in permanent condition.

7 In an apparatus ol the class described, a die member having a frusto-conical tace and a more nearly cylindrical bore and means co-acting with said die to form a cup having a body portion shaped in accordance with said tace and a handle portion shaped in accordance with said bore.

8. In an apparatus ot the class described, a die member having a i'iusto-conical face and a more nearly cylindrical bore, means tor inserting a bla-nk into said die and forming the blank into a linger-like shape corv responding in diameter at one of its ends with said bore, and means tor spreading out the open end of the blank against said trusto-conical face.

S). 'ln an apparatus of the class described, a die member having a it'rusto-conical face and a more nearly cylindrical bore, members mounted on Athe die member above the bore and formed to present an opening substantially in alignment with the bore means for pleating a blank and inserting it into said opening and said bore to shape the blank into atinger-like torm, a male die comprising port-ions constructed to tit within the bore of said iirst-mentione'd die member and against said face, and means tor moving said second-mentioned members out of the way of the male die upon depression ot the male die into said die member.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8 in which the die member and the members mounted upon it are turned to lay the fold of the blank in a common direction.

11. An apparatus according to claim 6 comprising means for detaching a completed cup from the die member and delivering it from the machine.

12. In an apparatus o1 the class described, means for forming a blank into a linger-like form and means for spreading out the open end of the blank into `the form of the frustrum of a cone.

13. In an apparatus of the class described, a die member formed With a bore to receive a blank, blank engaging members arranged on the entrance side of the bore, and means for moving said members away from the entrance to the bore.

14. In an apparatus of' the class described, a die member formed with a bore to receive a blank, means for supporting the sides of a blank during its insertion into the bore, and means for moving said supporting means toward and from said bore.

15. In an apparatus of the class described, a die member formed With a bore to receive a blank, a second die movable into and out of the bore, means for guiding a blank during its insertion into the bore, and means for moving said guiding means out of the path of movement 0f said second die.

16. In an apparatus of the class described, a die member formed with a bore to receive a blank and means on said member for guiding a blank during its insertion into said bore.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES e. NORTON. 

